The present invention relates generally to computers, such as desktop PCs, small and mid-range pedestal computers and large rack mounted computer servers, and more particularly to computers which include a power switch.
Computers, or compute elements, are often connected to a communication network, such as the internet, so as to enable information (i.e., data or files) to be passed from one computer to another computer. When large amounts of information are shared by multiple computers, a network server, or server, is often connected to the communication network to provide information to numerous network clients, or clients.
A network server enables many individual clients to access information that is stored within the single server. For example, servers are commonly used to host web sites which can be accessed by many individual computers through the internet.
The establishment of a client-server computer network creates numerous advantages. For example, a client-server relationship enables multiple clients to concurrently access information stored on a single server. In addition, a client-server relationship enables information to be added or modified to the single server rather than to each of the individual clients, thereby reducing the overall cost to maintain the system.
Pluralities of individual servers are often disposed within a rack console, or cabinet, in a stacked relationship. Rack consoles are generally rectangular in shape and are constructed to enable individual compute elements, such as computer servers or disc array subsystems, to be slidably disposed therewithin. Rack consoles are typically constructed to house components which have a width which complies with industry NEMA standards (i.e., 19 inches). Rack consoles are also typically constructed to house components which have a height which complies with industry NEMA standards (i.e., a 3-U height of approximately 5.25 inches).
Individual servers are typically manufactured to include a rectangular chassis, or housing, constructed of a hard and durable material. The chassis commonly comprises a front control panel which serves as the user interface for the server. The front control panel includes, inter alia, various indicators, such as different colored light emitting diodes (LEDs), for identifying the various power and operational states of the machine and a separate control button, such as a power button, for regulating the power state of the machine, as will be described further in detail below.
Traditional computer servers are designed to operate at a variety of different power states. Specifically, in order to be compliant with industry promulgated, advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) specification guidelines, the operating system of a compliant computer server is required to operate between at least the following power states: a full, or working, power state; a reduced, or sleeping, power state; a limited, or soft off, power state; and a full, or mechanical, off power state.
Because traditional servers are required to operate at a variety of different operational and power states, the front control panel for common compute elements often includes, inter alia, a power button for switching the power state of the compute element between the working power state and the soft-off power state, a green LED power indicator light which, when solidly lit, notifies the user that the compute element is operating at its working power state and an orange LED indicator light which, when lit, notifies the user that the compute element is experiencing a fault condition. The user interface front control panel is also commonly provided with reset/sleep means for switching the power state of the compute element from the working power state to the sleeping power state. The reset/sleep means is required by industry standards to be provided either through the implementation of a separate sleep button or through the integration of the power button and the sleep button into a single power/sleep button. An LED sleep power indicator light functions in conjunction with the reset sleep means. Specifically, the LED sleep power indicator light, which can be any color (i.e., green), blinks slowly at 1 Hz to notify that the computer is in its sleeping state. The front control panel often additionally includes a nonmaskable interrupt (NMI) for providing an interrupt that cannot be overruled by another service request and additional LED indicator lights for indicating further machine function status, i.e., local area network (LAN) or disk activity.
It should be noted that the particular colors of the indicators are selected in order to comply with international standards for indicator colors (i.e., IEC standard 73). Specifically, international standards associate a particular implied meaning with each indicator color. For example, the indicator color red is a danger condition which implies that a severe hazard is likely if the warning is ignored. As another example, the indicator color orange is a warning condition which implies that a severe hazard can occur if the warning is ignored. As another example, the indicator color yellow is a caution condition which implies that a minor hazard will or can occur if the warning is ignored.
As can be appreciated, the implementation of numerous different indicator lights and buttons on the front control panel tends to greatly complicate the user interface of the compute element. The increased complexity of the user interface creates a few notable disadvantages. As a first example, the increased number of lights and buttons renders the compute element more expensive to manufacture. As a second example, the increased number of lights and buttons significantly complicates the user interface, thereby providing the user with a less intuitive means of recognizing the various power and operational states of the compute element.
The configuration of the front panel user interface for computer servers, such as small or large rack mounted servers, which use a MICROSOFT CORPORATION operating system and/or an INTEL CORPORATION microprocessor is required to be in compliance with the Hardware Design Guide published by MICROSOFT CORPORATION and INTEL CORPORATION. Specifically, version 3.0 of the Hardware Design Guide, which was published on Jun. 30, 2000 by INTEL CORPORATION and MICROSOFT CORPORATION, provides a reference for designing servers and peripherals which run the MICROSOFT WINDOWS 2000 server family of operating systems.
As an example, version 3.0 of the Hardware Design Guide requires that the server operating system be capable of operating between, inter alia, a working power state, a sleeping power state, a soft off power state, and a full off power state.
As another example, version 3.0 of the Hardware Design Guide requires that one or more indicators, such as in the form of a light emitting diode (LED), display, inter alia, a solid green light to notify that the compute element is operating at its working power state, a light flashing at 1 Hertz in any solid color, such as green, to notify that the compute element is operating at its low power, or sleep, state and a solid orange light to notify that the compute element is experiencing a fault condition.
As another example, version 3.0 of the Hardware Design Guide requires that the compute element include a power button over-ride mechanism. Specifically, the compute element is required to provide an over-ride mechanism which transitions the compute element from the working power state to the soft-off power state through the depression of the power button for more than four seconds. It should be noted that the power button over-ride mechanism is required to power down the compute element even when the machine experiences hardware/software failure (i.e., system hangs).
Industry promulgated compute element design guidelines have increased the total number of functions which the front panel user interface is required to perform. In addition, advancements in the complexity of compute element operating systems has further increased the total number of tasks which the front panel user interface is required to undertake. For instance, current operating systems for computer servers, such as the WINDOWS2000 operating system manufactured by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, have been designed to incorporate additional power states to render the server more power efficient, or green. Specifically, current operating systems for computer servers are programmed to include a working power state, a sleeping power state, a hibernate power state, a soft off power state and a full off power state. It should be noted that the hibernate power state is unique in that the compute element utilizes less power in the hibernate power state than in the sleeping power state. It should also be noted that the hibernate power state is unique in that, when the compute element returns to its full power state from the hibernate power state, the compute element not only restarts its operating system but also returns the user to the same application point the compute element was experiencing before hibernation. As can be appreciated, the implementation of increased numbers of different power states renders the compute element more energy and cost efficient, which is highly desirable.
Due to advancements in compute element operating systems and the increased number of industry regulated ACPI specification guidelines, it has been found that many compute elements comprise a front panel user interface which is insufficiently equipped to perform all of the numerous tasks required thereof. In addition, it has been found that the user interface front control panel of conventional servers does not provide a simple intuitive means for identifying each of the various operational and power states of the compute element. Rather, as noted above, the user interface front control panel of conventional servers typically includes a large number of individual indicators which, when viewed collectively, create a complicated user interface that is are inherently non-intuitive.
As an example, the front control panel of current compute elements does not provide different indicators to notify the user when the compute element is operating at a hibernate power state and to notify the user when the compute element is operating at a full off power state. As such, a user can mistakingly assume that a compute element in the hibernate power state is in a full off power state, thereby precluding the user with the intuitiveness to recognize that the compute element can be simply restored to its full power state by depressing the reset/power button.
As another example, the front control panel of traditional compute elements does not provide an intuitive means for instructing a user what steps to take when the compute elements experiences a system hang, or freeze. Specifically, because of the lack of intuitive instruction, most users are unaware that the compute element is equipped with a system over-ride mechanism which effectively powers off the server by depressing the power button for four seconds. As a result, instead of utilizing the system over-ride mechanism, a user will often attempt to unplug the compute element directly from its power source. As can be appreciated, a number of disadvantages are created when a user attempts to unplug the compute element directly from its power source.
As a first disadvantage, a user who attempts to unplug the compute element directly from its power source subjects himself/herself to a potentially dangerous condition, such as electrical shock.
As a second disadvantage, when the compute element is disposed within a closed rack console, the user does not have access to the electrical plug and therefore is unable to unplug the compute element directly from its power source.
As a third disadvantage, a user who attempts to unplug the compute element directly from its power source is often required to reach an electrical plug which is disposed at an inconvenient location, such as under a desk or behind a large rack console.
As a fourth disadvantage, when the compute element is routed with a number of other compute elements, a user who attempts to unplug the compute element directly from its power source runs the risk of mistakingly unplugging the wrong compute element from the power source.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved compute element.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a compute element which includes a user interface control panel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a compute element as described above wherein the user interface control panel is in compliance with the advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) specification guidelines.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a compute element as described above wherein user interface control panel is more user intuitive.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a compute element as described above which has a limited number of parts, which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is easy to use.
Accordingly, there is provided a compute element which is adapted to function at a plurality of different power states and which is adapted to function at a plurality of different operational states, said compute element comprising a chassis comprising a front panel, a rear panel, top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels which together define an interior cavity therebetween, a motherboard disposed within the interior cavity of said chassis for regulating the operational state of said compute element, an element controller disposed within the interior cavity of said chassis for regulating the power state of said compute element, said element controller being connected to said motherboard, and a power button disposed through the front panel of said chassis for indicating at least one of the power and operational states of said compute element, said power button being connected to said element controller.
Various other features and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, a specific embodiment for practicing the invention. The embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.